The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Wednesday told a Federal High Court in Lagos how a former Chief of Air Staff, Adesola Amosu, took money from the Nigerian Air Force bank account to buy personal properties worth billions of naira.
Mr. Amosu, a retired Air Marshal, was arraigned alongside Jacob Adigun, an Air Vice Marshal, and Gbadebo Olugbenga, an Air Commodore, on a 26-count charge of stealing N50 billion.
Also arraigned with the trio before Justice Mohammed Idris were their companies – Delfina Oil and Gas Ltd; McAllan Oil and Gas Ltd; Hebron Housing and Properties Company Ltd; Trapezites BDC; Fonds and Pricey Ltd; Deegee Oil and Gas Ltd; Timsegg Investment Ltd; and Solomon Health Care Ltd.
According to the charge sheet seen by PREMIUM TIMES, Mr. Amosu and Mr. Adigun, a former Head of Accounts and Budgeting at the Nigerian Air Force (NAF), allegedly removed sums running into billions of naira from NAF’s bank account to purchase properties for themselves in choice locations in Abuja, Lagos, and London.
They include N400 million to renovate and purchase medical equipment for Solomon HealthCare Ltd, 24 Adeniyi Jones Street, Ikeja; N500 million to purchase a property at No. 1 River Street, Wuse 2, Abuja; N240 million to purchase a property at No.61A, Lake Chad Street, Maitama, Abuja; and N370 million property at Agadez Street, off Aminu Kano Crescent, Abuja.
Others are N440 million to purchase a property at Salt Lake Street, Maitama, Abuja; N1.7 billion for property at Agobogba Street, Parkview, Ikoyi; N750 million to purchase Cappadol Mall at Adetokunbo Ademola Street, Wuse 2, Abuja; N1.5 billion for property at Sinari Daranijo Street, Victoria Island, Lagos; and N900 million to purchase a property No. 40A, Bourdillon, Ikoyi
Outside Nigeria, the duo allegedly withdrew N660 million from the NAF account to purchase two properties at No. 50-52 Tenterden Grove, London (NW4 1TH) and No. 93B Shirehall Park, London NW4 2QU, United Kingdom.
The defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges.
On Wednesday, Bolaji Ayorinde, counsel to Mr. Amosu, said his client had returned “colossal sums” to the federal government.
Rotimi Oyedepo, the EFCC counsel, did not object to the defendants’ bail applications.
Mr. Idris granted them bail in the sum of N500 million with two sureties each, who must own properties within the court’s jurisdiction.
The judge also directed the defendants to submit their passports to the court’s deputy chief registrar.
He adjourned the matter till July 8 for trial.
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With all these damning evidence, the accused still pleads not guilty. It gives one the impression that the accused already had his game plan from the start, with the end fully integrated into the plan. Perhaps they used proxies that may be difficult for EFCC to link to them to acquire the revealed properties. Or, it may be that if they almost boxed to a corner, they would then make a plea bargain – return some of the money and be left off the hook to enjoy the rest of their loot. If this happens, then it would be a rape of justice for Nigerians whose lives have been negatively impacted by the roguish, atrocious, rapacious cleptomaniacs in uniform. Never! They must be stripped to their pants of all they have stolen or misappropriated from our common wealth.
and am very sure these men attend churches or mosques. God help us in naija.
Can’t wait for the disposition…